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tflr ,.r, editorial t . r , :v t j- u , - a it r- ; St . !s , ' I Remember MLK day is in Columnist Warren Petty compares guns to pencils in policy, page 4. The Lady 'Cats take on the Portland State at home Thursday, page 10. just five days. It is more mm than an excuse to miss school, page 6. Volume 63 Issue 39 Wednesday, January 10, 2001 mm ; -. , - ........... .-. .sjwji-ijw .4- 1 r""rri f- ,.,,,,m J a i II ,1 I i Hi IGNPO w B E R T A T U N V E R T Y By Wes Hanna campus affairs editor The Signpost A new major in computer and design graphics technology was approved by the Board of Trustees in its monthly meeting yesterday capping off a two-year process to host the degree at Weber State University. The new bachelor of science degree should be in place by fall of 2001, pending approval by the Board of Regents. "This is in direct response to the business community and the field," said Trustee Doug Holmes, who moved for the degree's acceptance. The degree specifically teaches skills in areas in computer design and graphics that are in high demand in businesses along the Wasatch Front. These skills include developing engineering and architectural drawings and models, technical illustrations, interactive multimedia and animations for industry as well as several areas of business publication. "There is a high demand for design and graphics people," said Larry Leavitt, adviser to the program. "Local companies have had a very favorable response."A study conducted in preparation of the major surveyed approximately 250 companies, said Leavitt. Of the companies that responded, 82 percent said they would hire a graduate of the CDGT program from WSU. The average starting salary businesses reported they were willing to pay a graduate was $32,500. WSU already has a two year certificate program in Computer Design and Graphics that has been successful in placing students within the field. "We have more requests through career services" than students to fulfill the business' needs," Leavitt said. Additional requests come into career services weekly. The new bachelor's degree will build on the established two-year degree and will add 10 additional class offerings not now available to WSU. Interest for the new degree is also high from students currently enrolled in the Manufacturing and Mechanical Engineering Technology Department.Leavitt has had almost 100 students express interest in majoring in the program and estimates that 100 more who have graduated with the two-year degree would come back to WSU to gain the additional training that the degree offers. Leavitt said that he does not foresee the Board of Regents blocking the degree because the program doesn't duplicate any other in northern Utah. Also other schools who have been contacted have not brought up objections to the plan. According to Leavitt, the new degree is just another example of what WSU has done best in the past 17 years that Leavitt has taught here. "We respond to the job market as well as any other school," he said. "We are a hands on institution. We don't just teach the theory, students really go out and do it. "Our students go out into the industry ready for work." A new minor in telecommunications was also approved by the Trustees accentuating the two-year certificate in telecommunications and bachelor of science in telecommunication administration that WSU already offers. .... ... ? I, 'V i ' A i I ' ' ' r,,.- : , , , l,,,,,,,,,,,,.,,,,,.,,,,,,,,., ,ft,mm, How much longer? lane Osmond goes over required classes with Weber State University student Rick Farnsworth at the graduation window. Farnsworth graduates in two semesters. Book exchange serves as alternative to bookstore By Stacey Cragun senior news reporter The Signpost For many students, the start of a new semester means emptying the savings account and even taking out loans. Also comes the concern of where the money for books will come. That's where the Student Book Exchange comes in. When students decide to sell their books to the book exchange, they find the bookstore price of a book and Lhen decide the price they would like to sell their book for. They write their name and phone number inside the book and, if the book sells, they collect their money from the book exchange. The book exchange is gaining popularity among students. Kristy Hansen, who has worked for the exchange for two years, says the program is a win-win situation. see Exchange page 8 A computer sits on every student's desk By James C. Berghout staff writer The Signpost Jeff Thompson, Weber State University professor of computer science, is challenging a national trend that is requiring students to buy or lease a computer upon entrance to college by giving computers away. A chicken in every pot Thompson's undertaking, the Apache project, has provided about 100 students of his computer science classes with computer systems free of charge. He believes that his corporate sponsorship model could work in any discipline.While nationally, less than 10 percent of colleges and universities are requiring students to own a computer, this figure is expected to rise dramatically in the next year, according to The Chronicle of Higher Education. The Chronicle identified four schools that are beginning to require students to have computer upon entrance: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Polytechnic University, Johnson C. Smith University and Morris Brown College. College administrators across the country see requiring students to have their own computer as the only way to ensure that all students have the same advantages academically, according to The Chronicle. The requirements have increased the average cost of attending college at these locations at least $1,000, accord- cbtf hp- 9 ' "'N'.-.-v.-' . : . Jeff Thompson, a professor at WSU, is surrounded by computers in his office. ing to the Chronicle. Weber State University docs not mandate students to own a computer. In fact. Academic Computing spent $200,000 allocated from student fees to upgrade hardware and software for computer labs see Desk page 3

Public Domain. Courtesy of University Archives, Stewart Library, Weber State University.

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tflr ,.r, editorial t . r , :v t j- u , - a it r- ; St . !s , ' I Remember MLK day is in Columnist Warren Petty compares guns to pencils in policy, page 4. The Lady 'Cats take on the Portland State at home Thursday, page 10. just five days. It is more mm than an excuse to miss school, page 6. Volume 63 Issue 39 Wednesday, January 10, 2001 mm ; -. , - ........... .-. .sjwji-ijw .4- 1 r""rri f- ,.,,,,m J a i II ,1 I i Hi IGNPO w B E R T A T U N V E R T Y By Wes Hanna campus affairs editor The Signpost A new major in computer and design graphics technology was approved by the Board of Trustees in its monthly meeting yesterday capping off a two-year process to host the degree at Weber State University. The new bachelor of science degree should be in place by fall of 2001, pending approval by the Board of Regents. "This is in direct response to the business community and the field," said Trustee Doug Holmes, who moved for the degree's acceptance. The degree specifically teaches skills in areas in computer design and graphics that are in high demand in businesses along the Wasatch Front. These skills include developing engineering and architectural drawings and models, technical illustrations, interactive multimedia and animations for industry as well as several areas of business publication. "There is a high demand for design and graphics people," said Larry Leavitt, adviser to the program. "Local companies have had a very favorable response."A study conducted in preparation of the major surveyed approximately 250 companies, said Leavitt. Of the companies that responded, 82 percent said they would hire a graduate of the CDGT program from WSU. The average starting salary businesses reported they were willing to pay a graduate was $32,500. WSU already has a two year certificate program in Computer Design and Graphics that has been successful in placing students within the field. "We have more requests through career services" than students to fulfill the business' needs," Leavitt said. Additional requests come into career services weekly. The new bachelor's degree will build on the established two-year degree and will add 10 additional class offerings not now available to WSU. Interest for the new degree is also high from students currently enrolled in the Manufacturing and Mechanical Engineering Technology Department.Leavitt has had almost 100 students express interest in majoring in the program and estimates that 100 more who have graduated with the two-year degree would come back to WSU to gain the additional training that the degree offers. Leavitt said that he does not foresee the Board of Regents blocking the degree because the program doesn't duplicate any other in northern Utah. Also other schools who have been contacted have not brought up objections to the plan. According to Leavitt, the new degree is just another example of what WSU has done best in the past 17 years that Leavitt has taught here. "We respond to the job market as well as any other school," he said. "We are a hands on institution. We don't just teach the theory, students really go out and do it. "Our students go out into the industry ready for work." A new minor in telecommunications was also approved by the Trustees accentuating the two-year certificate in telecommunications and bachelor of science in telecommunication administration that WSU already offers. .... ... ? I, 'V i ' A i I ' ' ' r,,.- : , , , l,,,,,,,,,,,,.,,,,,.,,,,,,,,., ,ft,mm, How much longer? lane Osmond goes over required classes with Weber State University student Rick Farnsworth at the graduation window. Farnsworth graduates in two semesters. Book exchange serves as alternative to bookstore By Stacey Cragun senior news reporter The Signpost For many students, the start of a new semester means emptying the savings account and even taking out loans. Also comes the concern of where the money for books will come. That's where the Student Book Exchange comes in. When students decide to sell their books to the book exchange, they find the bookstore price of a book and Lhen decide the price they would like to sell their book for. They write their name and phone number inside the book and, if the book sells, they collect their money from the book exchange. The book exchange is gaining popularity among students. Kristy Hansen, who has worked for the exchange for two years, says the program is a win-win situation. see Exchange page 8 A computer sits on every student's desk By James C. Berghout staff writer The Signpost Jeff Thompson, Weber State University professor of computer science, is challenging a national trend that is requiring students to buy or lease a computer upon entrance to college by giving computers away. A chicken in every pot Thompson's undertaking, the Apache project, has provided about 100 students of his computer science classes with computer systems free of charge. He believes that his corporate sponsorship model could work in any discipline.While nationally, less than 10 percent of colleges and universities are requiring students to own a computer, this figure is expected to rise dramatically in the next year, according to The Chronicle of Higher Education. The Chronicle identified four schools that are beginning to require students to have computer upon entrance: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Polytechnic University, Johnson C. Smith University and Morris Brown College. College administrators across the country see requiring students to have their own computer as the only way to ensure that all students have the same advantages academically, according to The Chronicle. The requirements have increased the average cost of attending college at these locations at least $1,000, accord- cbtf hp- 9 ' "'N'.-.-v.-' . : . Jeff Thompson, a professor at WSU, is surrounded by computers in his office. ing to the Chronicle. Weber State University docs not mandate students to own a computer. In fact. Academic Computing spent $200,000 allocated from student fees to upgrade hardware and software for computer labs see Desk page 3